Audio Networking and Dante Protocol Flashcards

What is the difference between 'redundant' and 'switched' Dante network modes?

Answer: Redundant mode uses two completely separate physical networks for automatic failover; switched mode uses a single network that routes both primary and secondary Dante traffic

In Dante Redundant mode, each device connects to two physically separate network switches. If the primary network fails, audio automatically continues on the secondary network with no dropout. In Switched mode (single network), both Ethernet ports are on the same network, doubling channel capacity but providing no true redundancy.

What is 'IGMP snooping' on a network switch, and why is it important for Dante multicast flows?

Answer: A switch feature that forwards multicast packets only to ports where devices have subscribed to that multicast group, preventing multicast flooding to all ports

IGMP snooping allows a managed switch to listen to IGMP group membership messages and deliver multicast traffic only to ports that have subscribed to that group. Without it, Dante multicast audio flows flood all ports on the switch, wasting bandwidth and potentially causing congestion on non-audio devices.

How does Dante handle sample rate conversion when devices on the same network operate at different sample rates?

Answer: Dante does not natively perform sample rate conversion; all devices on a Dante network must operate at the same sample rate (e.g., all at 48 kHz), or separate sample rate domains must be used

Dante requires all devices within the same domain to operate at the same sample rate. Mixing 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz devices on the same network causes clock conflicts. Separate Dante domains (e.g., via Dante Domain Manager) can operate at different sample rates, but audio cannot be routed between domains without external sample rate conversion.

What is an 'RAVENNA' audio network, and how does it compare to Dante in terms of interoperability?

Answer: RAVENNA is an open AES67-aligned IP audio networking standard developed by ALC NetworX; it interoperates with Dante via Dante's AES67 mode, enabling cross-vendor routing

RAVENNA is an open-standard IP audio networking protocol (AES67-aligned) developed by ALC NetworX, widely used in broadcast by Lawo, Stagetec, and others. Dante devices operating in AES67 mode can exchange audio with RAVENNA devices, enabling interoperability in mixed-vendor broadcast environments.

What is the maximum number of audio channels a single Dante gigabit link can typically support at 48 kHz / 24-bit?

Answer: Up to 512 channels

A gigabit Ethernet link (1 Gbps) can theoretically carry up to 512 audio channels at 48 kHz / 24-bit in a Dante network (accounting for Dante protocol overhead). In practice, Dante devices are designed to support up to 512 transmitter channels on a gigabit link, though practical device limits are typically lower.

In a live event Dante deployment, what does 'latent redundancy' (secondary network path) protect against?

Answer: A cable, switch, or NIC failure on the primary network path, with automatic seamless failover to the secondary network so audio is uninterrupted

Dante's dual-network redundancy protects against physical network failures: if a cable is unplugged, a switch loses power, or a NIC fails on the primary path, the system automatically fails over to the secondary network with no audible dropout. This is essential in live events where any audio interruption is unacceptable.